Paddy cum fish culture: Growth performance of Channa punctatus, paddy yield and economics

Abstract

Integrating fish and paddy culture may enhance the production with maintaining equitable use of the available land and human resources to ensure global food security. Hence the present study has been carried out to explore the possibility of culture of fish, Channa punctatus in paddy fields with/without supplementary feed. Four treatments (T1: No fish, no pesticide in paddy fields; T2: Fish in paddy fields without pesticide exposure; T3: Fish in paddy fields with are commended dose of pesticide and T4: Fish in paddy fields with pesticide dose as per farmers) were maintained in both experiments (with/without supplementary feed) in 120 m2 paddy plots. Farmers’ treatment without fish was also considered (T5). Fingerlings (15.50±0.40 g) were stocked with 1 fishper 3m2. Water quality, growth performance, carcass composition, paddy yield and economics were studied. Water quality remained in the optimum range for fish culture (D.O. 4.-7.1 mg l-1, pH 7.5-8.8).Growth performance and carcass composition revealed significantly (P<0.05) higher valuesin T2(SGR: 52.03, 129.73; crude protein: 14.8%, 15.0%). The values for paddy productions and economics increased from T1(24±0.326 q ha-1 and INR 32,850.00) to T3(55±0.475 q ha-1and INR 111,672.00), decreased thereafter. Results of supplementary food experiments clearly revealed that although fish growth/yield was higher in T2 (659±0.514 kg ha-1), rice production per hectare (57±0.891 q ha-1) and net revenue gain (INR 237,457.00) was high in T3 with recommended pesticides use. Thus, fish-cum paddy culture can yield economic benefits contributing significantly towards sustainable food security.